Optical fiber with light reflecting particles dispersed through buffer layers to dissipate leaky cladding modes

Abstract

This invention aims to provide an optical fiber which is capable of sufficiently dissipating the leaky mode in the cladding thereof characterizing in those particulate substances such as minute hollow glass beads having different refractive indices are sealed in the primary buffer layer or on the boundary between the primary buffer layer and the cladding, or between the primary and secondary buffer layers of the optical fiber, whereby nucleous elements for scattering or absorption can be formed uniformly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical fiber structure comprising a central optical core surrounded by cladding, primary buffer, and secondary buffer layers in that order, and wherein a particulate light reflecting material is uniformly dispersed throughout said primary buffer layer to form nuclei which dissipates light leaking out of the cladding layer. 
     
     
       2. A structure according to claim 1 wherein said particulate material is also uniformly dispersed along the boundary between and formed by the primary and secondary buffer layers and along the boundary between and formed by the primary buffer and cladding layers. 
     
     
       3. An optical fiber structure comprising a central optical core surrounded by cladding, primary buffer and secondary buffer layers in that order, and wherein a particulate light reflecting material is uniformly dispersed along the boundary between and formed by the primary and secondary buffer layers to form nuclei which dissipates light leaking out of the cladding layer. 
     
     
       4. An optical fiber structure comprising a central optical core surrounded by cladding, primary buffer and secondary buffer layers in that order, and wherein a particulate light reflecting material is uniformly dispersed along the boundary between and formed by the primary buffer and cladding layers to form nuclei which dissipate light leaking out of the cladding layer. 
     
     
       5. A structure according to claim 1, wherein said particulate material comprises small, hollow glass beads.